The newly identified species, Leopardus tilcayo, is a type of tiger cat — a small, spotted wild cat — that lives in the Yungas cloud forest region of Bolivia. The analysis also revealed a subspecies of another tiger cat species, named Leopardus tigrinus antisuyo, which lives in Peru.
Descriptions of L. tilcayo are based on only two live individuals in Bolivia: one specimen caught and photographed in the wild, and another living in captivity. These small cats weigh 3 to 4 pounds (1.5 to 2 kilograms) and reach up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) without their tail, with the tail adding about 10 inches (25 cm). The male L. tilcayo in captivity, nicknamed Tigrino, is the species' "type specimen" — an individual that acts as the reference for the whole species.
"Highly contentious" cat family tree
The newfound species Leopardus tilcayo, photographed at La Senda Verde Animal Refuge in La Paz, Bolivia. (Image credit: Copyright © Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz)L. tilcayo and L. tigrinus antisuyo form part of a long-contested tiger cat family tree that the new genetic analysis has resolved.
In the 20th century, taxonomists began lumping all tiger cats together into one species, L. tigrinus. Tiger cat species look very similar; they are distinguishable only by genetic analysis or small differences in markings.
Yet there were limited genetic data on L. tigrinus. The tiger cat's family tree has been "highly contentious and poorly understood," Fabio Oliveira do Nascimento, taxonomist at the Museum of Zoology at the University of São Paulo in Brazil who was not involved with the new study, told Live Science.
Not much is known about Leopardus tilcayo, but scientists hope to soon learn more about its diet, range and population numbers in the wild. (Image credit: Copyright © Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz)By comparing these genomes, the researchers were able to map the history of the lineage and when the species diverged. They concluded that the group referred to collectively as tiger cats actually comprises five distinct species, verifying four that had previously been proposed — L. guttulus, L. emiliae, L. pardinoides and L. tigrinus — and naming one new species, L. tilcayo. The team also identified one new subspecies of L. tigrinus, called L. tigrinus antisuyo.
Because L. tilcayo is a new species, scientists don't know much about its behavior, diet or range, Nogales-Ascarrunz said. The next steps are to get more accurate numbers of their populations and estimates of their ranges.
Related storiesThe IUCN Red List currently classifies the northern tiger cat and southern tiger cat as vulnerable species with decreasing populations, but these risk categories could now change.
Tiger cats are threatened by deforestation, wildlife trafficking and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs. "This discovery is definitely expected to increase conservation attention — or, we hope so," Lescroart said.
Think you know about lions and tigers? Test your smarts with our big cat quiz!
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